Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Our Favorite Musher

1939 ... that was the year that our Marvin was in a dogsled race in Alaska, Nome, Alaska, where the grueling Iditarod just finished this morning. In this photo above, Marvin is standing on the Bering Sea ice!

Marvin wasn't in the Iditarod... the race hadn't been started back in 1939. But our Marvin was up there and he ran a race... with a 6 dog team.
Marvin had told us about running dogs... but I had no idea he had pictures... and a trophy! Thanks to his sweet daughter-in-law, Margie, we saw the pictures and the trophy. I told Marvin I needed to blog this... he just smiled and gave me the pictures.

Now the Iditarod is about 11oo miles long. Marvin's race wasn't quite that long. He thought it might have been about 5 miles. Who knows, Marvin's success could have been one of the steps toward the modern Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race!Lance Mackey coming into Nome to win the 2009 Iditarod.Marvin coming into Nome to win a dogsled race in 1939!This was the trophy Marvin received for his victory... he told us tonight that it was full of champagne - not tonight, but on February 26, 1939!
Cheers, Marvin!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Good Intentions

I'm in a cooking mood today, even though I haven't cooked anything yet - except Scottish Oatmeal.

It's no secret that I love to cook... and my guy has been out of town since Friday evening. He went down to help Gabe do some work on his house. Today it's been storming... so I've been sitting watching movies and looking through an old Cooking Light. A former student of mine, Lindsey, who lives in London, has put her weekly menu on her blog a few times...and it always inspires me. I used to do that - once upon a time... when we lived in a beautiful little podunk town in Oregon and it took me over an hour to get to a decent grocery store. So today, I was inspired to make up a menu, buy the ingredients, and do some more cooking.

Here we go:

Sunday (that's today):
Sesame Chicken (actually this is from the Silver Palate Cookbook.)
Black Beans, Rice, and Corn Salad

Spinach-Apple Salad with Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette

Monday or Tuesday
Beef Daube Provencal

Roasted Asparagus with Balsalmic Browned Butter

Herbed Basmati Rice


Wednesday
Left overs!

Thursday
Falafel with Avocado Spread (with home made Pita bread)

Garlic Fries


Friday
Beef and Beer Chili

Jack & Red Pepper quesadillas


Saturday
Grilled Blue Cheese Burgers
Garlic Fries - again!

I'm making Snickerdoodles today. It's been so long since I've made any. Plus, sometime during the week, I'll make Texas Sheet Cake. My buddy, Jake, inspired me to make the cake. She called me yesterday with a question about the recipe. I told her I wouldn't tell anyone what her question was... so I'm wondering, if I write it, is that actually TELLING it?

I look back at the menu and think, 'Um, that looks a little busy'... but we'll see how much I actually follow it!

I have good intentions!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Grandparent Gift

Our friend Brian came over today. I was actually at the grocery store when he came, but he was still here when I got home. We visited awhile, then I asked him what he was up to.

My guy answered and said, "Brian brought us a Grandparent's Gift."

"A Grandparents Gift? I don't think I've heard of anyone giving that before"

Brian said, "From one grandparent to another."

It was wrapped...in adorable paper! Notice all the little animals?
I opened it... and look!

It's a puzzle...

of animals...

and Brian made it himself!
He said it was his 11th one.

Can you see all the little animal shapes? There's even a hedgehog!
Each shape has a little peg so Emerson and Benjamin can pick them up easier.

Brian told us we needed to learn all the sounds. Does anyone know what sound a hedgehog makes?

What a wonderful gift, Brian! Thank you so very much!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Bob and Helen

Many of you have heard of 'my buddy Bob'...

If you know about 'my buddy Bob', then you've probably gotten some email forwards. Bob finds some of the absolute best ones.

I got an email from him today...but it wasn't a funny one. Nope, it was a delightful email, a sweet email, an email that I wish everyone could send at some time in their life:His email was titled, "God is good", and the reason being that today is his and Helen's 58th wedding anniversary... and, not only that, but they've "been sweethearts for 65 years".

Congratulations Bob & Helen!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

My Weekend with Lindsey

This last weekend was wonderful... I left Friday and headed down to Lindsey and Donnie's, making it there by 10 p.m. We don't get there as often...it's a good 6 hour drive, or a little more... and it could be a lot more if there was much traffic, which there wasn't for me!

I got to hang out with my baby girl...
I love her...and her sweet husband, my son-in-law, my only son-in-law...
who went out early Sunday morning and picked some oranges for me...
"Hey, look at this one!" he yelled. Not really, he didn't yell at all...actually I don't even think he said anything. He just saw me with the camera and showed me what he had just picked.

Now this is just one of their average, juicy, delicious, sweet oranges...one of the hundreds on their trees!
You may notice Donnie's blue legs on the ladder...
They have oranges... lots of oranges... more oranges than they can consume.
My baby girl loves to cook...and for breakfast she made a compote of plum jam, honey, and fresh oranges. She also made some Trader Joe's Quick Cooking Oat Groats (YUM!) and put the warm compote on top. Oh my gosh... it was divine!
Linz really washes those oranges before she cuts them up...
Yep, they were delicious! But I especially loved hanging out with my baby girl... my pregnant baby girl... pregnant with my little Benjamin...
Saturday was the day we went to see my little King and his mama, my sweet daughter-in-law, but not my only sweet daughter-in-law...but one of my two... get showered with love and gifts...I love this.... Lindsey, Benjamin, me, Emerson, and Emily

After the shower, Linz took me to this overwhelming place called 'Babies R Us'. It's huge.... I mean HUGE... and filled with everything you ever wanted and so much you didn't even know you wanted or even existed to make life with babies easier. It was awesome!

What a special weekend...

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Emerson King's baby shower... and Emily's, too!

Saturday was an exciting day! Many of us who love Emily and Gabe...and Emerson... came together for a shower.The food was delicious... the company was wonderful... and the games were fun.

Emily was radiant... Celebrating the coming of Little Emerson King...

Emily, like all of us, enjoyed the absolutely delicious food...

For the first game, Christie and Kelly came around with this ribbon. We were to guess how big around Emily's belly was. Some of us were close...and some were way off!
Lindsey, one of 4 pregnant mamas there, measured around her own belly and added a little. Her ribbon was too long!
Pat, Emily's brother's mother-in-law, won the prize! Congratulations, Pat!
The second game was to unscramble words having to do with pregnancy and babies. I had 17 correct... I can't remember who won, but they would have had more than 17 correct!

The next game was to guess baby animal names. That was difficult for many of us... but the winner, of course. I can't remember who won, but I do remember she had all but 2! She missed the swan and the eel.
There was also a drawing for those who brought my little King some diapers.

It was fun to see all the sweet baby gifts... and to watch my sweet daughter-in-law open them. I loved it...knowing it was all for my little grandson...
I didn't realize there was so much for babies these days... times have definitely changed since my babies were born!

Look at this little robe! Oh my gosh...it is precious!
This little booster seat looked handy. I think Lindsey decided she might need one of those for Benjamin too!
Saddie wasn't there in person, but she was in spirit! She gave her little King a lion to hang on his wall. Well, actually, Emily or Gabe can hang it on the wall for him.
In keeping with the 'King of the Jungle,' I bought these little shoes with a lion on them. Oh my... baby things are so adorable!

Lindsey was thinking ahead for Emily's comfort... and she had a toy and some onesies for her little nephew.
I think it was Christie who gave Emerson his first A's hat. Emily was excited. I guess Emerson's parents are a bit at war over baseball teams. Someone asked if Gabe was an A's fan...Christie said, 'Not YET.'

Someone asked Emily to put the hat on Emerson...
She was delighted to do that!Baseball and the jungle/animal theme were the two prevailing themes. This little baseball mit and glove is a nightlight! How cute!

After Emily opened her gifts, it was time for a group photo before people left.
We had the four pregnant mamas sitting in chairs in front...Here they are a little closer: Anna is due April 23rd, Lindsey is June 21st, Emily is May 3rd, and Kim is April 7th. I think those are all correct.
Anna is having a girl, with my two grandsons in the middle, and Kim is also having a girl. Look at that! My grandsons are already surrounded by girls!
I wanted a photo with Lindsey, Benjamin, Emerson and Emily.
I love this...
Here is Emily with her sister-in-law, Stephanie. Stephanie is married to Emily's brother. They have little Blake. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see Blake. He was with his Daddy and Grandpa.
As we left, Kelly handed out favors...delicious See's candy favors... Andrea let me snap a picture as she took hers.
Last but certainly not least, I wanted a photo of Emily's wonderful friends who gave her the shower.
It was a wonderful...Thank you all!